September 22, 2007 -- WESTERN

[CustardTart]

Hi Eva! Nice to see you online! Hope you had a good trip to St Louis - makes me think of the Judy Garland film and I was a huge fan of hers as a kid... I've heard of Joel & Victoria Osteen as I know they're coming to the UK in July. Would you recommend going?

I'm so jealous that you guys are celebrating your 10th DVC anniversary! It took us sooo long to get with the programme - despite being long time timeshare owners in Spain (12 years at a beautiful resort called Villa Cana near Marbella) we just didn't get it when we went on the tour in Vero Beach back in 2000! Oh well, at least we're on board now. In fact my DD's going to call our guide tomorrow as she wants to buy into AKV, so its going to become a family affair! Hopefully, with our points pooled, we'll be able to get a Grand Villa there in 2009... ....

 

[eva]

Karen, I would definitely recommend going to see Joel and his wife Victoria. His mother, brother, and two children where at the performance we went to this weekend. The music is fabulous and Joel was in top performance. The event we went to was sold out and had over 14,000 people there. Have you seen his weekly television broadcast (I know he broadcasts to the UK) or read his book? That might help you make up your mind whether to go or not.

I think that all DVC members say, "Why didn't I buy earlier?" We had thought about touring the first year we went to WDW and decided that we probably couldn't afford it and we may never go to WDW again. Ha! That was a laugh! By the time the trip was over, I was already planning the next one. When we bought the points were only $61. But if we had bought two years before, the points would have been about $5 less.

It's funny, we are planning a grand villa trip for our immediate family in 2009 too. We will make the reservations at OKW and hope to transfer over to AKL at the 7-month window. We are taking our two daughters, their significant others (possibly DH's by then), our DGD, and our adopted DGS. I have been counting the days to this trip. DH told me I can't take DGD until she is three! He's a meany!

Oh, on that note, I forgot to say Congratulations! to Bob and Penny on their new DIL.

 

[ThreeSmiths]

Hello All!

Well, we're almost officially booked on the 9/22/07 western! All we have to do is choose out stateroom and put down our deposit w/ our travel agent. We are no longer "ThreeSmiths", we became "FourSmiths" in December and it has been a tough decision whether or not to leave the baby when she's just 9 mos. old! But I know that she'll be just fine in grandma's care, but we will miss her tons!

So......now I need the update on the cruise meets....when, where, etc, etc. I would love to be able to read all 60-some pages of this thread but that's not going to happen anytime soon!

Stacy

 

[knotyscot]

How funny DVC! Great to hear that others going on the cruise are DVC Members too. It is not a exclusive club but it is fun to know that others ar just as crazy as we are. We just bought into SS after a trip last October with my parents (first timers to WDW) They are so funny as they were the ones who talked us into going to 'the presentation and tour' for DVC. We were at the Grand Floridian and I was kind of mift that my DH wanted to waste a 2 1/2 hours of my park hopper time on a time share presentation! Oh well..I went anyway. We came back and talked and talked. I thought my parents might buy before we would but in the end it was us that bought in! We started with 150 points effective 02/07 and have already borrowed points from 02/08 so that we could go on this cruise and stay at a resort before and after the cruise. We are staying in studios at both OKW and WL. WL is a lot of points but we wanted to stay there...I wanted to stay there. I could live at WL.
My idea of the perfect atmosphere and home. I love the Whispering Caynon Cafe. I could sit on one of the furnished landings of the lobby with a cup-o-java and a good book for a couple of hours on a rainy WDW day and be very, very happy. The first time we stayed at WL we arrived the day after they put up all of the Christmas decorations. WOW! I was just incredibly overwhelmed at how perfect it all was, like it was put together just for me.
Sorry...I go on and on but I really love it there. Funny how WDW is addicting. Do you think Walt had any idea it would be a legal addictive stimulant?
By the way, we have a DS24, DS22 and a DS21 all of whom have been to WDW at one time or another. We will have to be careful in the future or they might try to our points!

 

[knotyscot]

Hey Scrapperjill! This is your second disney cruise? What was your first one like? We stayed at Pop Century last February (06) with our DS21. I loved it! Was a fun place to stay. I love the giant Big Wheel.
If it is a choice for the first time between Epcot and MGM...go for Epcot! Future world is wonderful. The Coral Reef Restaurtant is an experience. The
Finding Nemo ride is a must along with 'Soarin' and 'Test Track'. The World Show case is our favorite place. We have been to restaurants in the Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Moroccan, United Kingdom and the Italian Pavillions. They were all wonderful and fun. It is great fun to be there during the Wine and Food Festival. (Mid Sept through mid Nov) Lots of great wines, brews and foods. MGM is totally fun too. The "Lights, Motor, Action Extreme Stunt Show" is a must see as well as the Indiana Jones Stunt Show. Go for the "Sci-Fi Dine in Theatre" for total atmosphere and great food. (You sit in cars, eat great food and watch B Movies in a drive-in theatre) The other great restaurant is the "50s Prime Time Cafe" (I felt like I was in my Grandmother's house all over again) Hope this isn't to much information. When I talk about it I feel like I am right there enjoying it all over again. The Water Parks and More addition is great. We love Typhoon Lagoon. I love the feel and the music that is played throughout the park all day. Fun, Fun, Fun in the sun DisneyQuest if fun but I can only take so much of the indoor game thing and then I need to GET OUT!!! You can use your Water Parks and More for a night at Pleasure Island too.
I am looking for a Pirate Bikini for the on board Pirates of the Carribean Party; anyone know where I can get one? I guess I could use a couple of Pirate eye patches ...make it three!

 

[brady961]

Hello All!

Well, we're almost officially booked on the 9/22/07 western! All we have to do is choose out stateroom and put down our deposit w/ our travel agent. We are no longer "ThreeSmiths", we became "FourSmiths" in December and it has been a tough decision whether or not to leave the baby when she's just 9 mos. old! But I know that she'll be just fine in grandma's care, but we will miss her tons!

So......now I need the update on the cruise meets....when, where, etc, etc. I would love to be able to read all 60-some pages of this thread but that's not going to happen anytime soon!

Stacy

welcome aboard. we are keeping a passenger list and page with meets. we don't have much finalized on meets although we have been discussing.

check out our website for cruise. link is at bottom of my signature. I will add you guys as soon as I can.

glad to have you guys sailing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[papa]

Welcome aboard to all of our new cruisers.

Congratulations to my University of Tennessee, Lady Vols, Women's basketball National Champions for the 7th time.

 

[Bareacuda]

Hello All!

Well, we're almost officially booked on the 9/22/07 western! All we have to do is choose out stateroom and put down our deposit w/ our travel agent. We are no longer "ThreeSmiths", we became "FourSmiths" in December and it has been a tough decision whether or not to leave the baby when she's just 9 mos. old! But I know that she'll be just fine in grandma's care, but we will miss her tons!

So......now I need the update on the cruise meets....when, where, etc, etc. I would love to be able to read all 60-some pages of this thread but that's not going to happen anytime soon!

Stacy

Stacy and family !

It's going to be a great cruise! Tons of fun and (keeping fingers crossed) great weather!
So ... how many DCL cruises have you been on? Have you looked at any of the excurtions yet? So many good one to choose from!

Welcome again ThreeSmiths!

Ann

 

[CustardTart]

Hi and welcome aboard, Stacy! It's great to have more people joining our merry band!

 

[CustardTart]

...WL is a lot of points but we wanted to stay there...I wanted to stay there. I could live at WL.
My idea of the perfect atmosphere and home. I love the Whispering Caynon Cafe. I could sit on one of the furnished landings of the lobby with a cup-o-java and a good book for a couple of hours on a rainy WDW day and be very, very happy. The first time we stayed at WL we arrived the day after they put up all of the Christmas decorations. WOW! I was just incredibly overwhelmed at how perfect it all was, like it was put together just for me...

I know what you mean. The first time I went to WL, DD and I just took the boat over from MK, on the spur of the moment, as we decided we'd like to take a look. WOWx2!! We were blown away so stayed and had a fabulous dinner at Artist's Point. We're hoping to book a stay there in May 2008 and I'm going to make sure DS and I visit when we're at WDW in December as I want to see those Christmas decorations up too... I see you're from California, so have you visited the Grand Californian Resort? We went for New Year 2006 and loved that resort too - fingers crossed DVC build there as I would love to go back...

...Sorry...I go on and on but I really love it there. Funny how WDW is addicting. Do you think Walt had any idea it would be a legal addictive stimulant?

Hey no problem! These are the DISboards - if you can't go on and on about WDW stuff here, where can you????!!!! It IS an addiction, I agree, and I reckon Walt knew what he was up to - bet he was just as addicted as the rest of us...

...By the way, we have a DS24, DS22 and a DS21 all of whom have been to WDW at one time or another. We will have to be careful in the future or they might try to our points!

We have DD24, DS21 and DS13 - DD's getting her own points (she's just as addicted to Disney as I am) and I don't think the two boys have really worked out what's going on with the whole DVC thing - yet...

 

[CustardTart]

...I am looking for a Pirate Bikini for the on board Pirates of the Carribean Party; anyone know where I can get one? I guess I could use a couple of Pirate eye patches ...make it three!

Wow, Wendy! You are one brave lady!!! I haven't so much as picked up a bikini since 1981!

 

[papa]

Looking forward to pirate night Welcome aboard to our new cruisers. Mike

 

[eva]

Welcome to Stacy and family!

Wendy, You are right, DVC is not an exclusive club. But it is an addiction. We are like other addicts, always trying to get people to join in on our addiction. In the nearly 10 years that we have been members we have referred 6 families who have joined. So watch out everyone, if you are not a DVC member and love going to WDW. Oh, I promise I will be good.

I like your story about touring. It reminds me a bit of our first tour. DH set the tour up without telling me. And he set it up the morning of our last day. To be honest, he had to drag me to the appointment. Back then the tours were a lot different. we started with a continental breakfast, just us and our guide. Then they showed a wonderful movie to the whole family in a small theater. It had this song that said, "If you believe in magic, you belong." I actually cried during the movie and was ready to sign before the lights went up. After that a nice woman came in and asked if our daughters liked ice cream. They were 12 and 14 at the time and were ready to get away from Mom and Dad. So off they went to the small ice cream parlor off the main lobby. Where they watched TV and ate as much ice cream sundaes as they wanted. Our guide then took us on a tour of OKW. When we got back our guide took us to the ice cream parlor and talked about how to join, as we ate ice cream. He would not allow us to join the day of the tour. He said it was policy to allow you time to go home and discuss it first. He sent us a nice gift in the mail with a thank you card, but never called. Needless to say, we called and joined about 2 weeks later. We started with 150 points. But I fight add-onitis every year. Three times I was unable to resist and we have 400 points total now.

Well, back to the cruise.

Has everyone pretty much decided that we will meet around 3pm at the Mickey Pool on the first day? If so, which side of the ship? Have we also decided that a few of us brave ones will be at the margarita tasting on Monday?

Hey Marsha, what time were you planning on being at port? I thought if you were going to be there early we will all be able to use you, with your green t-shirt and your pals, as a beacon for an impromptu meet. I can't believe we will be able to miss all that lime green!

Mike, I think that my DH is looking forward to Pirates Night too.

Karen, I am with you. I haven't worn a bikini in close to 10 years either. The inventor of the tankini is my hero.

 

[CustardTart]

...Has everyone pretty much decided that we will meet around 3pm at the Mickey Pool on the first day? If so, which side of the ship? Have we also decided that a few of us brave ones will be at the margarita tasting on Monday?

We'll definitely be signing up for the Margarita tasting! I'm trying to work out if the Palo Brunch would be scheduled for that day and, if so, what time it starts/finishes - anyone know?

...Karen, I am with you. I haven't worn a bikini in close to 10 years either. The inventor of the tankini is my hero...

Same here - now if I could get my hands on one of those with a skull and crossbones motif...

 

[Bareacuda]

I must be weird and wacky... I wear a bikini ONLY in my back yard. I just scare birds and small amimals!

 

[eva]

Unfortunately, my backyard is butted up against my backdoor neighbor's. If they saw me in a bikini, they would move faster than they could get their house on the market. Now if I could lose that 25 pounds I keep meaning to lose........... Yeah right!

I am in total agreement with Karen and Wendy on the Wilderness Loge and the Grand Californian. The lobbies of both hotels are spectacular. But I must admit that the rooms at the Grand Californian are much more posh and spacious. We used DVC points to stay there in 2005 during the 50th celebration. It was a great trip. I still really missed WDW though. The parks just aren't the same. Oh and Wendy, Artist Point is probably our favorite restaurant at WDW. The atmosphere is the best and the buffalo steaks are wonderful. If it is just DH and me, we would rather go there over CG or Jiko.

 

[brady961]

Welcome to Stacy and family!

Wendy, You are right, DVC is not an exclusive club. But it is an addiction. We are like other addicts, always trying to get people to join in on our addiction. In the nearly 10 years that we have been members we have referred 6 families who have joined. So watch out everyone, if you are not a DVC member and love going to WDW. Oh, I promise I will be good.

I like your story about touring. It reminds me a bit of our first tour. DH set the tour up without telling me. And he set it up the morning of our last day. To be honest, he had to drag me to the appointment. Back then the tours were a lot different. we started with a continental breakfast, just us and our guide. Then they showed a wonderful movie to the whole family in a small theater. It had this song that said, "If you believe in magic, you belong." I actually cried during the movie and was ready to sign before the lights went up. After that a nice woman came in and asked if our daughters liked ice cream. They were 12 and 14 at the time and were ready to get away from Mom and Dad. So off they went to the small ice cream parlor off the main lobby. Where they watched TV and ate as much ice cream sundaes as they wanted. Our guide then took us on a tour of OKW. When we got back our guide took us to the ice cream parlor and talked about how to join, as we ate ice cream. He would not allow us to join the day of the tour. He said it was policy to allow you time to go home and discuss it first. He sent us a nice gift in the mail with a thank you card, but never called. Needless to say, we called and joined about 2 weeks later. We started with 150 points. But I fight add-onitis every year. Three times I was unable to resist and we have 400 points total now.

Well, back to the cruise.

Has everyone pretty much decided that we will meet around 3pm at the Mickey Pool on the first day? If so, which side of the ship? Have we also decided that a few of us brave ones will be at the margarita tasting on Monday?

Hey Marsha, what time were you planning on being at port? I thought if you were going to be there early we will all be able to use you, with your green t-shirt and your pals, as a beacon for an impromptu meet. I can't believe we will be able to miss all that lime green!

Mike, I think that my DH is looking forward to Pirates Night too.

Karen, I am with you. I haven't worn a bikini in close to 10 years either. The inventor of the tankini is my hero.

I plan to arrive at port around 10a. I have made a tshirt iron on design for the cruise Magical Memory Tour 2007. It can go on color tshirt but I created it to match a lime green shirt. So I will be wearing lime green tshirt, our cruise logo and of course Pal and Minnie will be wearing lime green t's too.

I seriously doubt you will be able to miss me in my lime green tshirt with Magical Memory Tour 2007 logo, Pal Mick, Minnie in their lime green shirts and of course me in a power chair

If anyone would like the design to iron on a shirt let me know. I can email it to you. All you need to do is change the names of course. Or I could make the change before emailing just let me know what names you want.

oh wait have I shared what the design looks like? ummm guess better check and if haven't post or share so ppl can decide if want to use it. BTW no one has to use this its just something I put together to use and IF others want to, feel free. If not, it's ok.

 

[brady961]

click HERE to see tshir design

can have 20 on left ear and 07 on right ear if prefer. i left background as white mainly cause i am cheap and won't use up more ink to print

i use dark iron on transfer paper so don't have to print "inside out". Just print as normal, and iron on any color shirt including white.

the colors can be changed easily, background color added, reverse colors etc... any changes can be made easily.

Again I don't expect anyone to use it but i offer it if someone does. Would be neat to have a design that some of us wear at least for a group pic. but doesn't have to be my design.

 

[eva]

Marsha, I will pm you with my email address. I would like to have one with my name, Eva, and one with DH's, Steve. If I don't put them on a shirt, I will definitely make name badges for us. Since I use those conference name tags, they are the perfect size. Thanks for all the hard work.

 

[brady961]

Marsha, I will pm you with my email address. I would like to have one with my name, Eva, and one with DH's, Steve. If I don't put them on a shirt, I will definitely make name badges for us. Since I use those conference name tags, they are the perfect size. Thanks for all the hard work.

Eva the graphic that shows in link isn't actual size. if you want more a button size or name badge I can make that as well. I already have a button 3/12 size that I bought button at Michaels but Walmarts also carries them.

so just let me know if need smaller version to fit a button/badge.

If for badge i need the dimensions and is it retangle, square, round, etc...


cool beans